It is squeaky bum time x10. Nothing can prepare you for the end-of-season lottery played between the teams who finished third, fourth, fifth and sixth.

And I say that as a man who twice took Blackpool to Wembley for play-off finals. We won one, we lost one – and I will never forget the ecstasy and agony of victory against Cardiff and defeat to West Ham.

I can only offer one piece of advice: enjoy the ride like you would if you went on the Big Dipper on the Pleasure Beach.

People talk about momentum. But often it is the team that just sneaks into the play-offs that prospers most. Finishing third, just outside the automatic play-off positions, can be excruciating. So near, yet so far.

As the third-best team in the division, you feel that you have been robbed of what should be yours by right.

The Championship has been a crazy division this season. After another rollercoaster day, my Crystal Palace team beat ­Peterborough to clinch our play-off spot, and send Posh into League One. Leicester’s 3-2 victory at Nottingham Forest saw Nigel Pearson’s side overtake Bolton, and grab the last play-off place.

Just another crazy day in the Championship.

***

I would never turn my back on my country.

Even if I live to be 90, I will never stop dreaming that one day I will be good enough to ­represent England at something.

So when John Terry made himself unavailable to Roy Hodgson last summer, it was an alien concept to me.

I heard JT’s reasoning and understood his anguish – but I still couldn’t accept his decision. Now, the Chelsea captain has had a change of heart.

And I am absolutely delighted.

I take it as a sign he’s seen the error of his ways.

Should Terry wear an England shirt again?

Well, that is a decision for Mr Hodgson.

He is paid the big bucks to take the kind of choices that will see him criticised whichever decision he makes.

I would have no problem seeing Terry playing for the Three ­Lions. Others may not be so quite forgiving.

I just wish players would see the ramifications before walking away from England.

Perhaps JT regrets it. I am sure others have regrets too.

***

Congratulations to Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund for making it an all-German Champions League Final.

It just goes to show how football continues to evolve.

Not long ago, Barca seemed invincible because they just didn’t allow their opponents to get the ball.

Now Pep Guardiola faces an interesting conundrum. The man who made the Catalans great takes over at Bayern next season.

Does he stick with the principles he adhered to in 20 years as player and coach at the Nou Camp?

Or will he become a convert to the German power and efficiency that has taken Munich to the brink of the European title?